"Weston's Law"; extends crime of human trafficking to include recruiting or coercing juvenile to join gang or drug trafficking scheme.

Weston's Law (A5961) amends New Jersey's human trafficking statute to explicitly include recruiting or coercing juveniles to join criminal street gangs or participate in drug trafficking schemes. The bill expands the definition of human trafficking for minors to specifically cover cases where juveniles are used in gang activities or drug distribution, which were not fully addressed under previous trafficking laws. It also allows prosecutors to seek waiver of juvenile jurisdiction for these cases, potentially sending them to adult court for prosecution. The law is named after Weston Fundner, who died at age 15 from a fentanyl overdose after being coerced into taking a fentanyl pill by someone involved in the illegal drug trade.